Studies on a murine form of spontaneous lower motor neuron degeneration--the wobbler (wa) mouse.

The wobbler (wr) mouse has been considered an animal model of spontaneous lower motor neuron degeneration which is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Previously available data are, however, also compatible with genetic factors playing a necessary though not exclusive role in the expression of the wobbler trait. The present report describes the results of chromosome analyses, electromyography and selected histochemical studies on wobbler mice, as well as studies exploring the possible participation of infectious agents, transneuronal effects, retrograde effects, aging, circulating toxins and immunologic factors in the pathogenesis of the wobbler disorder. The data obtained do not implicate any of these mechanisms in the pathogenesis of the wobbler trait and also indicate that the wobbler mouse is not a clinical variant of the recently described type C oncornavirus-induced murine paralytic disease.